Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-04-12
Gales aud $ketfhes.
THE TELEGRAPHIC SIGNAL.


John Mills. the hero of this sketch
was a railroad engineer, and had been TO
: long time in the company's employ
When the new engine 49, was complet
ed and placed on the road, John was giver
charge of it. and he evinced natura
pride in his preferment. At one OF the
/, stations there was a young girl, tele'
graph operator, between whom and the
engineer there mad sprung up warm at
tachme Mt, and whenever "59" came along,
Kate generally managed to be at the door
and exchange signals with her lover. One
dav the train was detained at the station,
and the LOGON otive detached and sent up
, the road, to do some additional work, and
Kate went along for ride. AS she lis
tened to the sharp, shrill, notes of the
whistle, it occurred to her that she might
teach John to sound her name in the
Morse teegrashic characters, so that she
might distinguish his signal from that of
the other engines, whenever his train
app, cached The plan worked IL a
charm, and far and near the whistle
shrieked Kate, until one day, as the
operator stepped upon the platform, see
overheard a conversation between two
young men, and learned that they under
stool the signal AMI were laughingiY
wondering who Kate could be. Their
means of communication having been dis
covered. they were obliged to discontinue
it In the meantime Kate had, by means
of the telegraph, made the acquaintance
of young lady. in a distant city. but
whom she had never seen, and to her she
made known the tact that the secret had
been discovered Then her friend sug
| gested plan as brilliant as it was ingen
| ious IL was simply to arrange means
of telegraphc communication between
| the approaching train and the station, SO
as to ring bell hidden away in the closet
| in Hates office, engine '.59'' being the
only one provided with means of com
| pleiing the circuit, which was done by
! laying the poker upon the tender brake
so as to touch the wire IN passing. Kate
found an opportunity to acquaint John
with the proposed plan, and in the mean
time had found an abandoned wire which
ran tor long distance close by the track.
and which she proposed to use to carry
out her purpose. Thanksgiving day
came soon after. and John fortunately
having a holiday, he and Kate went brave
ny W Wpl n. duo UClOt . LuC Udt was Olttu
the task was a complete success. The
dramatic finale of their low episode is
told in the following:
1t was singular how absent minded and
inatenlive the operator was on the day
that the great scientific enterprise was
finished. No wonder she was disturbed
Would the new line work? Would her
little battery be strong enough tor such IA
circuit? Would John be able to close it?
The people began to assemble tor the
train. The clock pointed to the hour for
its arrival.
Suddenly, with startling distinctness,
the bell rung clear and loud in the echo
ing room. With cry of delight she put
on her dainty hat and ran in haste out
upon the platform. The whistle broke
loud and clear on the cool. crisp air, and
''59" appeared around the curve in the
woods. The splendid monster slid swift
ly up to her feet and paused.
Perfect. John! Perfect! 1t works to
CHARM
With spring she reached the cab and
sat down on the fireman's seat.
blessed if could tell what he was 90
ing to do said the fireman. "He told
me about it. Awful bright idea You
see, he laid the poker on the tender brake
there. and it hit the tree slam, and | saw
the wires touch. 1t was just prime -
But the happy moments sped, and "59"
groaned and slowly departed. while Kate
stood on the platform, her face wreathed
in smiles and white steam.
So the lovers met each day, aud none
knew how she was made aware of his
! Oh
Science applied to love, or rather love APP
| piled to science, can move the world.
Two weeks passed, and then there sud-
denly arrived at the station. late one even
ing, a special with the directors car at
tached. The honorable directors were
tungry-they always are-and would
pause on their journey and take cup of
tea and a bit of supper. The honorables
and their wives and children filled the
station and the place put on quite gala
aspect. AS for Kate, she demurely sat in
her den. book in hand, and over it's I'M
read pages admired the gay party in the
brilliantly lighted waiting room.
Suddenly, with furious rattle, her cleo
trio bell sprang into noisy life. Every
spark of color left her face, and her book
fell with dusty slam to the floor What
was it? What did it mean ? Who rang
itP With affrighted face she burst from
her office and brushed through the aston
ished people and out upon the snow
covered platform. There stood the
directors train upon the track of the on.
coming train.
1.-The conductor! Where is he? Oh,
sir Start Start Get TO the siding
The express is coming"
With a cry she snatched a lantern from
a brakeman's hand, and in flash was
gone. They saw her light pitching and
dancing through the darkness. and they
were lost in wonder and amazement. The
girl is crazy! No train is due now! There
can be no danger. she must be-
"Ah ! that horrible whistle. Such a
wild shrek on winters night The men
sprang to the train and the women anC
children fled in frantic terror in every
direction.
run for your lives" screamed the con
ductor.
There's smash up coming"
A short. sharp scream from the whistle
The headlight CLEANED on the snow GOV